Intelsat has commissioned Airbus to build two OneSat satellites operating in multiple frequency bands, to be deployed in Intelsat’s next-generation software-defined network. The satellites will be based on Airbus’s OneSat product line, the latest generation of in-orbit reconfigurable Software Defined Satellites (SDS), and under the terms of the contract Airbus will deliver an end-to-end fully integrated solution, including the design and manufacture of the satellites.
The ground-segment software components, when fully integrated into Intelsat’s software-defined network ecosystem and advanced digital suite, will allow dynamic operation of end-to-end satellite resources. The two next-generation SD satellites are due to be delivered in 2023 and add to Airbus’s order book which also has six satellites currently in production – plus options – for three major operators.
The Airbus agreement also marks the beginning of Intelsat’s multi-year network transformation plan, which includes investments in new assets that are designed for extremely high speeds, enhanced capacity flexibility, redundancy, and backwards compatibility.
Intelsat CEO, Stephen Spengler said, “Intelsat’s investment in Airbus software-defined satellites marks an important first step in evolving the world’s largest, most resilient, integrated space and ground network. Intelsat’s next-generation software-defined network will be the catalyst for our growth, enabling future Gogo Commercial Aviation inflight broadband services, as well as other managed services across Intelsat’s customer segments.”
